Silkie thread! - Page 1599

I am so excited!! Only 3 more days until my two trios come home! I am excited about getting chicks Saturday, but even more so about the trios coming on Sunday. FINALLY our silkie time has come!!

BTW... the avatar is one of my new roos coming from Obsessively Silkie!

Nugget is 6 weeks old now. Look at those pointy feathers on top of the head! lol

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marty1876 

Our silkies were kept away from moms layer flock.  They each had a cage with a run area, and a little house for eggs and sitting.  They were picked up daily, handled frequently, and always spoiled with treats.  I think the forced daily contact, and our general treating of them as pets, made a big difference.  We'd never be that close to regular chciken (or duck).

Ours are in the house with us, and get TONS of attention. I almost wonder if they run away thinking, "Oh no, it's the biggies again!"    There is usually someone out of the brooder at any point during the day. Our last batch of regulars, they'd hop right up into our hands.This group seems to just be a bit more standoffish for some reason.  Hum.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3LilBirds 

Nugget is 6 weeks old now. Look at those pointy feathers on top of the head! lol

Adorable!
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marty1876 

Sorry your show silky plucked herself!  

 

I was sent over here.  I keep loads of ducks, but am a softie for silkies (wonderful sitters, so gentle and kind - I had them as a kid).  I ordered some B/B/S show quaility  eggs (does the s stand for splash?), and three made it to hatching.  (most didn't even made embryos)  I'm trying to figure what colors I have, can you more knowledgable silky mamas and papas offer your thoughts on the color of these new hatches?

One black, one blue and one likely black but could be dark blue. :)  I'm just going from what my own BBS look like at hatch. My splash are almost white at this stage.
 

Thanks for helping me figure out what they are.  Its my first time hatvching silkies in an incubator.  I hatch ducks and geese (and quail or pheasants).  The silkies are a nice change!  Two pipped correcting, and one was in the middle, and I actually had to help him a wee bit, then he managed on his own w/i a couple of hourse.

How do I keep blue lines in silkies?  Is is seletive breeding, or true?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mama2my4 

I am so excited!! Only 3 more days until my two trios come home! I am excited about getting chicks Saturday, but even more so about the trios coming on Sunday. FINALLY our silkie time has come!!

 

BTW... the avatar is one of my new roos coming from Obsessively Silkie!

Congrats! Geri has some AWESOME birds I have a bunch of partridge chicks growing out from her :) 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marty1876 

Sorry your show silky plucked herself!  

 

I was sent over here.  I keep loads of ducks, but am a softie for silkies (wonderful sitters, so gentle and kind - I had them as a kid).  I ordered some B/B/S show quaility  eggs (does the s stand for splash?), and three made it to hatching.  (most didn't even made embryos)  I'm trying to figure what colors I have, can you more knowledgable silky mamas and papas offer your thoughts on the color of these new hatches?

two on the left are blues

bigger butt on the right looks like a black or a really dark blue. does it have lighter coloring or even yellow on the chest/belly? true blacks should have yellow on the belly area, blue blacks (blacks from a BBS pen) usually don't, but will LOOK black as an adult. 

The way the Blue gene works in a breeding can be broken down as follows:
1) Blue x Blue: This will produce 25% black, 50% blue, 25% splash.
2) Black x Blue: Produces 50% black and 50% blue.
3) Black x Splash: You'll get 100% blue.
4) Blue x Splash: Produces 50% blue and 50% splash.
5) Splash x Splash: This will give you 100% Splash.

Hatching shipped eggs  can be very depressing. Normally it is the fault of the rough handling they get. I believe most breeders do their best to package well. Don't give up on your silkies. You will love them!!

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marty1876 

Thanks for helping me figure out what they are.  Its my first time hatvching silkies in an incubator.  I hatch ducks and geese (and quail or pheasants).  The silkies are a nice change!  Two pipped correcting, and one was in the middle, and I actually had to help him a wee bit, then he managed on his own w/i a couple of hourse.

 

How do I keep blue lines in silkies?  Is is seletive breeding, or true?

I am not a regular on this thread but I have a question. Do you pluck your silkies for breeding purposes. ? I have a roo who is doing his job but the eggs are not fertile.  All my other chickens eggs are fertile.   I had to pluck my cochins. Anyway, this roos bumm is exceptionally fluffy. I just happened to notice.

I just want to get a few chicks from him.   Thanks in advance.